memory_gammafandomcom-20200214-history
Jean-Luc Picard (alternate)
| occupation = Captain | serial number = | posting = (2333); (2364); USS Enterprise-E (2372) | rank = (2333) | status = Deceased | father = | mother = | siblings = Robert Picard (Brother) | marital = | spouse = | children = | relative = | image2 = Picard1.jpg | caption2 = Picard shortly before his death in 2372 }} Jean-Luc Picard was a legendary Starfleet officer in the 24th century, before the fall of the Federation Alliance the hands of the Dominion, he was famous for commanding the , the , and the USS Enterprise-E. Early Life Jean Luc Picard was born in Labarre, France, on Earth in 2305. He had few friends as a youngster and self-admittedly "skipped his childhood," due to his early, single-minded drive to be in Starfleet. Though shy, he took piano lessons only to please his mother; he hated public performance and soon quit - a move he now regrets. He did build airships in bottles when young, and like his nephew years later he wrote a ribbon-winning report on starships; reading of the ancient Bajorans in the fifth grade might have been another influence on his lifelong passion for archeology. Later he was school president, valedictorian and a star athlete. Picard is described as a tall balding man who strikes a bearing pose and has a kind face. He is well built and muscular. He is a very quiet man, tending to keep to himself when off duty rather than mix with his fellow officers. Picard is one of nature’s explorers and loves to discover new lifeforms or unearth buried civilizations. His love for history is apparent and his quarters and ready room are filled with his findings, books and other items from his long career. Picard loves sports and is a keen horseman, fencer, and rock climber and spends a lot of his spare time in pursuit of these on the Holodeck. Starfleet Academy Picard failed his first try on the Academy entrance exams in 2322 but only required one more to finally pass in 2323. As a student athlete, he became the only freshman ever to win the Academy marathon - the event at Danula II marked the beginning of his friendship with Admiral J.P. Hanson - and he once out-wrestled a Ligonian in 14 seconds with a reverse body lift for a pin. He graduated at or near the top of his Academy class, even though he once failed an Academy class over a woman he refers to only as "A.F.," the initials he carved into gardener Boothby's prize campus elm tree; he was called at least once to the Academy superintendent's office, and he credits Boothby for helping him through an ordeal that saved his graduation in 2327. Early Starfleet Career His lack of self-discipline as a young officer nearly led to his death in a near-fatal stabbing at Starbase Earhart in 2328 while awaiting post-graduation assignments. Picard went on as a lieutenant to meet Ambassador Sarek at the wedding of his son Starfleet legend Spock to senior Starfleet officer Saavik. Another mentor of those years was archeology professor Richard Galen, whose fatherly approach was a trait sorely missed by the son estranged from his true father. In fact, it was not until after his abduction during the Borg crisis that Picard ventured home, the first time in 20 years, and began to heal the rift with his brother Robert, who had been jealous of his high-achieving younger brother whom he viewed as getting away with spurning family traditions and responsibilities. The USS Stargazer In an early highlight of his invincible and fondly recalled years aboard the , Second Officer Jean-Luc Picard took command of the bridge upon the death of his Commanding Officer and the ship's First Officer and saved the vessel, eventually leading to his permanent promotion to the rank of Captain in 2333. This effectively made the Stargazer his first command assignment, during which he made his name in the history books of the Federation by his actions. It was only a year before the Stargazer's loss, in 2354, that his First Officer and friend Jack Crusher was killed on an away team. He had returned the body to his widow, Dr. Beverly Crusher, at Starbase 32. Picard's command over the was cut short when his ship was attacked by a vessel of then unknown origin (later revealed to be a Ferengi cruiser) in 2355. By jumping to warp a second before the ship fired on the Stargazer his vessel appeared to be in two places at once allowing the Stargazer to open fire on the Ferengi vessel and destroy it. This later became known as the ‘Picard Maneuver’ and is still taught in tactical classes in the Academy. Although the feat worked, the Stargazer was lost and had to be abandoned. Picard was court-martialed for the loss of the Stargazer but was exonerated of all charges against him. The USS Enterprise-D A few years later after proving his worth both as a ship’s captain and a skilled negotiator, Picard was given the command of a new starship that would become the flagship of the Federation, the . The fifth in a long line of ships to bear this name, the Enterprise-D was then a state of the art starship that would play home and work place to over a thousand people. Unlike many vessels before it the Enterprise-D was a ship of peace and exploration and not only carried many Starfleet officers on board but also their families. Picard assumed captaincy of the in 2364, having hand-picked much of his senior staff - such as two young officers who impressed him enough upon first meeting to win a place in the senior staff: Georgia LaForge once piloted his inspection tour shuttle and stayed up all night to refit an engine part he'd made a passing comment on, and he witnessed Tasha Yar risk her life to save colonists amid a mine field. Finally, he had picked Will Riker from among simple resumes as his First Officer and promoted him to the rank of Commander sight unseen, impressed by his record of independence. Owing to a single-minded drive since childhood for a Starfleet career, Picard has "never been a family man" and was long uncomfortable with the starship's civilian family contingent. He stated that he was the first member of the Picard family to join Starfleet. Within months of his Enterprise captaincy he was offered admiral's rank and the job of Commandant of Starfleet Academy by Admiral Quinn but turned it down to keep his flagship. During their first year, Picard and his crew successfully managed to avert a hostile take over of the Federation by an alien race that had infiltrated Starfleet at the highest levels. In 2371, the Enterprise-D was destroyed over Veridian III. Q On its very first mission to Farpoint Station the encountered an omnipotent being that would plague the Federation (and above all Picard) for many years to come, the all powerful ‘Q’. Placing humanity on trial as an inferior race and threatening to wipe them from existence, ‘Q’ sort to take a potential threat to the realm which it hailed from ‘The Q Continuum’. Picard successfully defended humanity against the omnipotent being but was this would be far from the last time that the two would meet. Other mission performance highlights of his years on the Enterprises included his second meeting with Sarek, where at great personal risk he agreed to a mind-meld to save the Legaran conference in 2366 with the ailing ambassador; the legendary Vulcan had taken an interest in his career, calling it "satisfactory," but Picard was still awed by the UFP legend. They met again briefly as Sarek lay dying two years later as Picard was en route to another reunion with Spock, leading an underground pro-unification movement with Vulcan on Romulus. He also commanded the 23-ship blockade fleet to deter Romulan interference along the Klingon border during the empire's civil war of 2367 to 2368, and undertook a covert raid in 2369 with two Enterprise officers on Celtris III to investigate a reported Cardassian metagenic weapons base, later found to be a hoax. Picard has also participated in first-contact encounters with the Borg, Ferengi, Edo, Aldeans, Tamarians, Jarada, Malcoria III, Douwd, Mintaka III, Paxans, Cytherians, the Ux-Mal, and Devidians, among others, and served as a negotiator and diplomat on missions including Acamar III, Rutia IV, Angosia III, Bajor, Talarians, Turkana IV, Pentaurus V, Ventax II, Kaelon II, Lenaria, Gemaris V-Dachlyd, and Krios-Valt Minor. The Borg Picard and the were flung far into the Delta Quadrant in 2365 (again by the mischievous ‘Q’.) and encountered the single biggest threat to the Alpha Quadrant - the Borg. During his third year as captain of the Enterprise, a lone Borg cube from the Delta Quadrant had been dispatched to assimilate Earth (after learning of its existence via the ‘Q’ incident!). The Borg captured Picard and took him to use as a voice for them. Picard was transformed into Locutus of Borg, his memories stripped from him and his vast knowledge of Starfleet and tactics used against the Federation. As Locutus, Picard was responsible for the deaths of over 11,000 Starfleet officers and the loss of over 39 Federation starships in the now legendary Battle of Wolf 359. He was formerly declared dead by Admiral J.P. Hanson as a casualty of war after his assimilation by the Borg; the ruling was rescinded six days later.The valiant crew of the mounted a rescue mission for their captain. He had successfully fought through the imposed Borg control, getting back to his own identity, and helped to avert the Borg threat before Earth became a Borg outpost. Along with his physical recovery, the invasive incident took an enormous emotional toll and required several weeks of counseling. Picard followed a similar though less lengthy recuperation following his capture and torture by Cardassians in 2369. This left a traumatic scar on Picard. The encounter would not be the last time that he would lead the battle against the Borg. The Enterprise-E In 2371, the was lost over Veridian III, with the vessel's primary hull crash-landing on the planet's surface. There were no fatalities, and most of the ship's senior crew was reassigned to the USS Enterprise-E, the sixth Federation starship to bear the name. The USS Enterprise-E was launched in early 2372, due to rising tensions in the Dominion War Picard was offered command over the alternative Morgan Bateson who was recently killed by the Dominion. During the Battle of Sector 001 the Dominion arrived and destroyed the Borg Cube in orbit of Earth. The USS Enterprise-E along with every other ship in orbit was destroyed by the Dominion.